A flowering grass that thrives in Kentucky, sorghum has been used to sweeten foods for centuries. Sorghum syrup is derived by extracting juice from the stalk of the plant, then heating the liquid to reduce it to a syrup. This sticky ingredient lends what’s been described as an “earthy” or “woody” sweetness to foods and cocktails, and it possesses health benefits by providing potassium, calcium, zinc and iron.
3 cups water
1 cup dried sorghum berries
1 bunch spinach
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 lamb chop or lamb loin
¼ cup white wine
4 tablespoons butter
½ lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 serving cooked couscous
Mint leaves, for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sorghum berries and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Blanch the spinach by bringing a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach and cook for 30 seconds, just until wilted. Immediately transfer the spinach to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and set aside.
4, Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Sear the lamb chop on both sides until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and cook to desired doneness (about 5–7 minutes for medium-rare). Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest.
5. In the same pan used for the lamb, add the cooked sorghum berries and sear for 10-15 seconds. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits.
6. Add butter and blanched spinach, stirring until the butter melts and the spinach is fully incorporated. Finish with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
7. To serve, spread the sorghum and spinach on a plate, top with the couscous and lamb chop, and garnish with fresh mint.
Recipe courtesy of Seth Kinder, executive chef of Barn8 Restaurant & Bourbon Bar in Goshen